Let's Talk More About Sarcoma

In this moving episode of Let's Talk More About Sarcoma, guest Jessica Cook shares her extraordinary story of resilience, motherhood, and self-advocacy. After an 18-month struggle with what doctors repeatedly misdiagnosed as a routine muscle tear and haematoma, Jess was finally given a terrifying diagnosis: an aggressive 27-centimetre sarcoma.

To make matters even more intense, she received this news while 23 weeks pregnant with her second child. Jess opens up about navigating the harrowing choice of undergoing an above-knee leg amputation while carrying her baby, delivering a healthy daughter at 32 weeks, and stepping straight into rounds of chemotherapy and radiation.

Jess speaks about adjusting to a robotic prosthetic leg and managing energy levels as a young mother of two. She reflects on the vital importance of speaking up for your health, finding silver linings, and connecting with the supportive sarcoma community.

If you would like more information please visit www.crbf.org.au

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In this moving episode, award-winning model James Parr shares his remarkable journey of resilience and self-advocacy. From losing his mother to cancer as a child to facing a difficult 10-month misdiagnosis that ultimately revealed osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer in his ankle, James reflects openly on the shock of his diagnosis and the subsequent amputation of his right leg.

Now a prominent figure on global runways for major brands like Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, James discusses how he uses his high-profile modeling career as a powerful catalyst to challenge traditional standards of beauty and normalise disability representation in the media.

Stripping away the glamorous expectations, James discusses the realities of post-cancer health anxiety, navigating complex family dynamics, and the importance of unplugging from social media to truly live in the present moment.

If you would like more information please visit www.crbf.org.au

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In this episode, Anne Pantazis shares her harrowing 18-month medical journey, which began with minor leg numbness during an overseas trip in late 2018 and culminated in a life-altering diagnosis of myxofibrosarcoma. Facing continuous misdiagnoses and a critical lack of medical answers, Anne discusses the physical toll of her tumour, the realities of her hip disarticulation amputation, and the secondary complications, including a severe post-radiation wound infection, that delayed her rehabilitation. Balancing candor with resilience, Anne shares how she navigated massive life changes, coped with persistent phantom pain, and ultimately chose to rewrite her path through intense physical fitness, family support, and new perspectives on disability advocacy. 

If you would like more information please visit www.crbf.org.au

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What would you do if you noticed something strange on your leg and your gut told you something wasn't right?

Carmen Scheffer was living her best life. Born in South Africa, raised in Australia, and working as a senior digital art director in Canada, life was full of possibility. Then in December 2023, everything changed when she noticed something unusual on her leg during a family trip to South Africa.

What followed was a journey through diagnosis, treatment, and a decision to return home to Australia that she believes saved her life. At Chris O'Brien Lifehouse in Sydney, Carmen finally received the care and support she had been searching for, with a team around her that treated her like a human being every step of the way.

Carmen speaks with warmth and honesty about the emotional and physical side of her sarcoma experience, the importance of trusting your instincts, and what it means to find hope and gratitude on the other side of the hardest chapter of your life.

If you would like more information please visit www.crbf.org.au

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To mark Sarcoma Awareness Month, we are shining a light on the brilliant minds working to unlock new possibilities for sarcoma treatment and care.

In this episode we hear from Professor David Wood (University of Western Australia), Professor David Thomas (Garvan Institute), Professor Glenn Marshall (Sydney Children's Hospital Randwick), Dr Richard Boyle (Head of the NSW Bone Tumour Team), Dr Joost Lesterhuis (Telethon Kids Institute), and Associate Professor Geoff McCowage (Westmead Children's Hospital).

Their dedication and passion for progress is truly inspiring, and this episode is a reminder that the future holds real promise for those affected by sarcoma.

If you would like more information please visit www.sockittosarcoma.org.au and www.crbf.org.au

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Behind every sarcoma patient is a team of dedicated specialists working together to provide the best possible care.

In this episode we hear from Dr Daniel Wong (Consultant Pathologist), Jacky Woods (Clinical Nurse Consultant), Dr David Gyorki (Consultant Surgical Oncologist and ANZSA Board Member), Debra Yorke (Clinical Psychologist), and Christine Cockburn (Patient Care Coordinator at RCA). Together they shine a light on the vital role of the Multi-Disciplinary Team and what it really means for a patient to be in the right hands.

If you would like more information please visit www.sockittosarcoma.org.au and www.crbf.org.au

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When it comes to sarcoma, early recognition and timely referral to the right specialist can make an enormous difference.

In this episode we speak with Dr Richard Boyle, Head of Surgery at NSW Sarcoma Services, Dr Michela Sorensen, Medical Practitioner, and Merryn Aldridge, Australian Olympic Team Physiotherapist. Together they explore how to spot the signs of sarcoma and why getting to the right clinician quickly is so important.

An essential listen for patients, GPs, and allied health professionals alike.

If you would like more information please visit www.sockittosarcoma.org.au and www.crbf.org.au

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We close our first series on a note of real optimism.

We hear from Professor Richard Carey-Smith, Professor David Thomas, Associate Professor Georgia Halkett, and Dr Emmy Fleuren about where sarcoma research and treatment is heading. Mandy Basson from Sock it to Sarcoma! and Tania Rice-Brading from the Cooper Rice-Brading Foundation also reflect on what this month of conversation has meant.

If you have been searching for hope, this episode is a wonderful place to find it.

If you would like more information please visit www.sockittosarcoma.org.au and www.crbf.org.au

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In this final part of our series on grief and loss, families continue to share what it means to lose someone to sarcoma.

Their stories are full of love, honesty, and a deep desire to help others feel understood. Whether you are in the thick of grief right now or supporting someone who is, we hope this episode reminds you that your feelings are valid and that you do not have to carry this alone.

If you would like more information please visit www.sockittosarcoma.org.au and www.crbf.org.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Continuing our heartfelt conversation with families who have lost a loved one to sarcoma.

Their willingness to speak openly about grief, love, and life after loss is a gift to every listener who has experienced something similar. This episode is a compassionate and honest resource for those who are grieving or walking alongside someone who is.

If you would like more information please visit www.sockittosarcoma.org.au and www.crbf.org.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.